Freight-car door



'S pt;18, 1923.

-' J. L. GUERRANT FREIGHT GAR DOOR 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22. 1920 Em .Z.

afiiozuu Sept. 18 1923.

J. L. GU ERRANT FREIGHT CAR DOOR Filed Nov. 22, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gnumuo't, I FHA/T attorney Sept. 18 1923. I

J. L. GUERRANT FREIGHT CAR DOOR .fied Nov. 22

Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 18, 11923.

can at at inane JOHN LAYTON GUEB-EANT, OF SEDALIA, IllCEISSO'U'iBI.v

FaEitGH'r-oAR noon.

Application filed-November 22, 1920. Serial 110.425,?82.

ToaZZ w/wmitmug/concern: c

Be it known that I, JoHN L. GU RRANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State ofliiissouri, have-invented certain new and useful: Improvements in Freight-Car Doors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying'idrawing. v

This invention relates to grain car doors, especially although the improvements can beused on the doors of freight cars generally, it being the object of'the invention to proviiile novel means for fitting and clampingthe 'niain car door to the door frame to provide a tight fit or joint for preventing the rain or other contents from leaking pastfthe door, without the necessity of using an inner grain door as customary, and this feature is also useful for excluding dust, dirt, aiinair, and the like, from the contents'of the car Another object is the provision of novel means for latching and clamping one vertical, edge portion of the n1a1n door to the door frame or car wall, and providing for the convenient manipulation I thereof in closing. and opening the main door. 7 With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent, as the descrip tion proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts here inafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes, can be madewithin the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a face view ofthe improved door construction.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional details takenon the respective section lines 22 and of Fig. 1. I i

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary elevation showing the lower rear corner of the main door and corresponding parts, portions being broken away. l

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views taken on the respective lines 55 and 6-6 of Fig. 3. 1 1

. Fig. 7 is a vertical-sectional detail of the lower end portion of the main door showing a modification, 1

Fig. 8 isa sectional detail showing afurther modification.

F 9 is a rear view of the dog or hook of the modified construction shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is'a detail view showing a different form of head for the latch and clamping bolts. 7 v

The door frame comprises, as usual, the sill 14, and the posts 15 and 16 at the op posite sides of the door opening, and the main car door 17, as shown, is composed of two layers of wood, although it can be of metal, combination wood and metal or other suitable construction. The door is suspended for longitudinal movement along the exterior of the car wallfrom a suitable track 18 extending over the doorway or opening.

The door 17 and doorfrauie are provided with means to fit them tightly together for preventing leakage and also excluding 'the elements from the outside of the car. Thus, a horizontal metallic strip or plate 18 is secured to the outer side of the door 1'? along the lower edge or end thereof, and projects downwardly beyond said edge of the door, as seen in Fig. 2, and the lower edge portion of the strip 18 is bent back inwardly and upwardly to form a hook or channel 19 which extends under and behind a de-v pending flange 2O offset outwardly from a rail plate or strip 21 secured to the outer side of the car wall and sill 14, said strip or rail comprising a Z bar. The offset portion'of the strip 21 extends below the door 17 and said door moves over said offset por tion, and the hook or channel 19 in engaging under and behind the flange 20 will guide the door 17 and maintain it in position adjacent to the car wall. When the door 17 is in closed position, the lower edge thereof is clamped in place by bolts 22 engaging through the depending portion of the strip 18 and the flange 20, to clamp said strip and flange together and thereby provide a tight joint or fit between the sill and lower edge portion of the door. The bolts 22 are used at spaced points along the strip 18, and in order that said bolts can be readily inserted, the strip has vertical slots'23 while the flange 20 has horizontal slots 23, which slots will always register when the door is in closed position, even though there may be a slight varation in the relative position of the door and guide strip 21, thereby enabling said bolts to be inserted through the intersecting portions of the slots.

, A vertical metallic strip or' plate 24: is secured to the outer side of the door post 16 (see Fig. 3) and hasa portion 25 bent outwardly at an angle to. form a stop for 7 the door, against which the torward'ver- .tical side edge of the door 17 abuts when a 710 said door is slid to closed position. The

portion 25 has a flange 26 bent atan angle to overlap said portion of the door, and

'forming a vertical groove or ehannel into j which. said portion ,of the, door moves, to

door adjacent to the inner side of such I its rear free edge bentinwardly and, backdoor and bearing againsta vertical plate or strip 33 which'is secured to the inner side of the door at the rear edge thereof. The plate 33 extends across thefiange 32 from the rear edge of the door, 1 and has wardly to form a hook orchannel 35-. arranged to move behind .t 1e rear 'edgeoi a verticalplate or strip 34- secured to the post 15 at the outer side thereof.

The plate 33' and rear edge portion of, the door 17 are latched and clamped against the plate 34: and door frame by a vertical series of latching and clamping bolts 36 having. nuts 37 screw-threaded thereon at the outer side of the flange 32, and having heads .80 at the inner side of the plate 33 to move behind the plate'ii l. Each bolt 36 has a reduced oppositely-threaded portion 82 at its outerend on which' a, lock'nut 83, is threaded, tobind against .the nut 37 when said nut 37 is tightened, thereby locking the nuts tightly. The portion 82 has a collar 84: on the end thereof, for preventing accidental detachment of the nuts and loss thereof. The shanks ofthe nuts 36 are movable vertically in vertical slots 81 provided in the flange 32. and plate 33, and the rear edge of'the plate 84: hasb-ayonet slots 85 for receiving the bolts 36 when the door 17 is moved to closed position,- and the tails 86 of said slots extend downwardly so that the bolts 36 .drop down into'latching position. The lower edge of the mouth of each slot 85 is inclined, asat 87, to provide a cam against which the corresponding bolt 36; impinges when the door reaches closed position, so that said cam will "raise the bolts within said slot 81, and the bolt will drop down into the tail of the slot: by

gravity. The cam edge 87 is bevelled at this inner side, as at 88, and the shoulder of the bolt head is also hevelled, as at 89, "whereby the bevelled shoulder 89 in head 80 to pass behind'the platei-l l without stopping the door. fk"board 90 is disposed between the post l5 and plate S lgand has a recess or mortise9l' behind each slot 85, to-receive the bolt heads 80 behind the plate contacting with the'bevel 88 willcause the 7 34, and the rear edge of the plate 3e projects beyond the board 90 so that the hook 35 can engagebehind said plate. a "In order that the latch boltsfiocan'be operated simultaneously, especially for releasing them trom-the-plate 34, a vertical lift bar 92 extendsalongi'the fiange 32 at the outer, side thereofy and hasshort vertical slots 93 through which the bolts "36 extend, in order to permit said bolts to ad just themselves vertically relatively to one another. 7 The bar 92 is formed,

preferably near'the lower end thereof, with" an outstanding portion 94;; to serve'as a handle iorralslng the .bar92 or to receive the blows of a hammer or otherimplement to forcibly raise said bar should the latching device stick, a V

Coming to the auxiliary doo1's,,the na1n in near the upperoand loweredges thereof door 17 is provided with'openings' 38 therel and near the forwardverticaledge of the door which moves across the doorway in {opening and closing the 'f door. Metallic frames 40 surround the openings 88 at'the outer side of the door, and are secured to the door to reenforce it at the openings 38 Each frame 40, which comprises a fiat'plate, i

is provided at that edge nearest the opening 38 with an outt'urne'd portion ll surround ing the opening, and having 'aflange 42 extending at an angleaway from" the opening, to receive the auxiliary door. V

The upperland lower auxiliary doors are designated 4L3; and 44, respectively, and, as

shown, they are duplicate constructions. Each auxiliaryfdoor comprises a rectangular cap or panel 45. of sheet metal or other suitable material, havingthe marginal rim or flange 46 to surround the flange 4:2 and portion 41, when the cap is fitted against the flangeAQ, as seen in 2., The rim or flange-46- overlaps and'is secured to *a rim member 47 of angular cross section, andsaid member provides afstiif marginal portion or rim for the door. The rim member 47 adapted to lit snugly against the frame or plate 40, and can be secured firm ly thereto by means of bolts l8'inserted inwardly through apertures in the imember 47, frame 40 and door 17, to screw into 'nuts 4E9embedded in the inner surface of the door.

In order to mount the auxiliary doors as and 44 for movement to and from the openings'38, arms or straps 51 have their upper ends hinged'ly connected to the door 1'?" above the openings. 38, and. said strapsfol extend across andoverlapthe caps or'panels of the auxiliary doors, and are secured thereto by means of bolts or'rivets 58. Vertical arms are hingedl y connected to the door 1'? above and below the respective auxiliary doors 43 and 44:, to swing across the doors toward one another for holding said auxiliary doors closed when said doors are swung downwardly over the openings 38. The arm 50 of the upper door 43 is preferably. secured thereto to swing therewith. V

The hinges for connecting the straps 51 and arms 50 to the doors 17 are all alike. Thus, the hinged ends of said straps and arms have hinge butts 52 and each hinge butt is mounted on a hinge rodv or pin 53 having its ends seated in lugs or sockets 54lof plates 55 secured to the door 17. Such hinge plates 55 are arranged in pairs, and the hinge rods 53 being seated in the lugs or sockets 54, will prevent the hinges being opened without removing the plates 55.

The lower arm 50 is preferably secured to the door 17 above the door 4E4 by means of a bolt engaging inwardly through the arm' 50 and door 1'? to screw into a nut 61 embedded in the door 17 similar to the nuts 49. The lower auxiliary door ist can thus be secured in closed position by swinging the arm 50 thereof upwardly and fastening it by the bolt 60.

lVith the arrangement as shown, the free ends of the two arms 50 project toward one another, and a vertical latch bar 62 is provided for holding said arms when swung across said auxiliary doors, the upper and lower ends of the bar 62 overlapping the free ends of said arms. The bar 62 is secured to horizontal arms or hinge leaves 63 and 63, whereby the bar 62 can he swung awa from the arms 50 to release them for opening the auxiliary doors. The arms 63 and 63 and have hinged connections with the door 17 similar to the hinges between the bars 50 and 51 and the door 17. Thus, the hinged end of the arm 63, or 63, has a. hinge butt 64 mounted on a hinge rod pin having its endsseated in lugs sockets 66 of a pair of'plates 67 secured the door 17.

When the doors 4:3 and 44 are swung downwardly to closed position and the arms 50 swung across said doors, the bar can or to be swung against the arms 50, and the arm 63 projet'ts beyoml the bar 62 to be. securedv in place, for holding the latch bar against the arms 50. bolt 70 is ongaoeable inwardlythrough the arm 63 and door 17 to screw into a nut 71. embedded in the door 17. whereby to hold the bar 62 before bei' sealed'or after being unsealed.

The arm 63 is held by a seal, whereby all. three-doors are held closed under a sinL'le seal. F or this purpose, an ordinary double has or sealing link 68 is used, being bcnt or oflset, if necessary, as seen in Fig. 3. The link 68 has a slot 72 near one end to engage the keeper on the door frame or car wall, whereby a latch pin 73 or seal can be inserted into the keeper, for holding the link 68. The link 68 has slot 71: near other end, and the arm 63 has means at its free end for the detachable connection of the link 68 when the arm 63 is swung away from the door Thus, the free end of the arm has an offset bill or hook with a linger 76 projecting toward t e door 17 to pass through the slot 4, and said linger 76 has a head or enlargement Tl. ll hen the arm 63 is swung away from the door 17, link an be moved into engagement with or oil? of the finger 76 over the head or enlargement 77, by turning and niunipulating the link to pass laterally over said head, but when the arm 63 is swung against the door 1? and the link (58 our; ad with the keeper 69, it is impossible to disconnect the link from the arm (li'l, because the link is pulled lengthwise into engagement with the finger 7G and cannot be turned or manipulated to move over the head 77.

in using the door 17, such as when filling the car with grain, sand. or the lik the door 1? is slid to closed position, thereby moving the fliOlWVflltl edge against the stop portion behind the flange 26, and moving the hook behind the plate During the movement of the door to closed position, the latch bolts 30 will ride up the cam edges 97 so as to drop into the tails 86 of the slots 85, thereby automatically latching the door in closed pos tion, and said bolts 36 are tightened. whereby (la mp the rear edge portion of the door against the door frame. The bolts 22 are then inserted and tightened. to clamp the lower edge portion of the door against the sill, and the door 17 is thus held rigid and secure, to prevent l-eal zao e of grain or sand past the edges of said door. The lower auxiliary door l iis then swung downwardly to closed position, and the lower arm 50 swung upwardly and fastened by the bolt 60, thus holding the lower door 4-4; to resist outward pressure against the panel or cap 45 thereof. The n auxiliary door 43 can be swung upi idly hold by catches and the grain. sand or other material can then be run through he upper opening 38 for filling the car. A ftei the car is filled, the upper auxiliary door 43 is closed by swinging it downwardly and the arm 50 thereof is swunq' downwardly with salt. door. The bar 62 is then swunn' to overlap the arms 50 of the two auxiliary doors, and is fastened by the bolt '70, the (39 and fastened by the usual seal The link 68 can then he engaged with the keeper 69 and fastened by the, usual seal. The doors 17, and. idare thus maintained n closed position by a single seahand neither of said doors can be opened without breaking the seal.

To start the discharge of grain or other materialfrom the car, the seal is broken and the 1inlr68 disengaged 'tromthe keeper 69 and after the bolt 70 is removed, the bar 62 is swung away from the arms 50. The

upper auxiliary doered can then be opened, "for access into the car, and then by removing the bolt 60, the arm can be swung downwardly, thereby releasing; the lower auxiliary door 14:, and starting the dis charge of grain or material through the lower i'lischarg e opening 38. The bolts 22 an then be removed and the latch bolts 3%; raised with the lift bar 92, so that the door-.17 can he slid open. and a shovel can then be used for removing the grain, or;

enabling the grain to be removed in the customary way.

. The door is also useful for other merchandise and the bolts 22 and t-le'hold the door rigidly against the door trame, to resist the jamming and jostling oi the merchandise the rear of the door 17 can be removed or loosened, should .the merchandise jam up against the door. In usingthe door itor ordinary freight, the bolts 4:8 of the auxiliary doors need not be used, unless it is desired to hold the auxiliary doors tight against the frames 4.0 to prevent leakage. Any water or moisture which may leak past the upper edges of the auxiliary doors between the upper edges oi the frames 10 and rim members 47, will be caught within the channels or troughs formed by the portions 41 and flanges 42 of the frames 40, thereby drainingsuch water around the opposite sides of the openings 38,. to drain down-' wardly past the lower ed ges oi the auxiliary,

doors, without entering the openings 38.

The auxiliary doors can also have'openings'therein for purpose of ventilation or examination of the contents of the car.

In order to prevent leakage under the lower rear corner of the door 17, between the lower edge of the door andthe ofiset portion of the rail strip 21, a block 95 of.

wood or other suitable material is secured on said oiiset portion of l'llGSllI'lD by means "of bolts 96 or the like, and said block has a tongue 97 to project under the corner of the door and close the end 01: the slotbetween the lower edge oi the door and the otfset portionof the strip-21.

This block 95 can be removed before the door 17 is slid open, and isreadilyfapplied whenthe door is in closed position.

in Figs?- amodified construction is shown for the lower ed- 'e portion of the door 17. Thus,'the horizontal strip 18 is not securei'i. to the door 17 but extends across the flange 20 or" the rail strip 21 at the outer side thereofland has the hook 19 at its lower edge to move upwardly behind the. flange 20. Said strip 187 has vertical slots 23 and the bolts 22 extend through said slots and are carried by theflange 20. Thus, when the bolts 22 are loosened, the strip 18, can be slid upwardly and downwardly, to either cause it to overlap the lower edge portion of the door on the outside'ithereof as seen in full lines I, clamp the door against the sill, or said strip 18can be lowered soto remove. it from the door-17, permitting said door to move away-from the sill. ij

In F" s. 8 and 9 there is depicted another device for clamping the lower edge of the door 17 against the sill, and 1? ig. 8 also shows the Z-rail stri 21 at'the lower edge of the sill, so that the lower opening 38 can extend to the sill or floor of the car which arrangement can also be used inthe other forms shown. The clamping device shown in Figs. 5% and 9 aroidspossible loss-of any or" the parts, such as as the bolts and nuts, which must be, removed with the arrangement shown in the first-described form otcon struction. In the modified arrangement, there is a spindle 122 extending under the rail 21 and sill 14, and sleeve'12b isfitted for rotation on the outer terminal oi said spindle and has ahook'or dog12 l extending to one side and provided with a tooth 125' to engage the plate or strip 18, which is preferably provided with a recess 126 to receive said tooth, it being unc erstood that a num her of spindles 122 are used, similar to the bolts 22 hereinbefore described. The outer end of the spindlef122 has a head or member 127thereon; retaining the sleeve 123 on the spindle. I Said'spindle is mounteiil for rotary moven'ient and for vertical adjustment in vertical slots 128 in the'depending end portions 129 of a platejor bar 130 secured to the lower surface of the sill. 1 1, thereby said spindle is supported from the car body to prevent loss of the spindle and parts carried thereby, and a clamping nut 131 is screw threadedon the spindle in rear of the outer end portion-129 and can be tightened for drawing the spindle rearwardly or. inwardly to engage the hook or.

dog; 121=with the plate .18 and clamp the ,lower edge of the door against the sill, also clamping the plate '18 against the fiange20.

1 a lock nut 132is threaded on the spindle in rear of. the nut 131 and by reversevscrew thread, whereby the nut 132 can be turned up against the 'nut131 to prevent the device no i the lower edge of the door in place, and

there is no danger of loss of any of the parts V In Fig. 10 there is shown a modification inthe latchingand clamping bolts 36, only one of which is shown. Thus, the bolt has an elongated head 80 extended tOWtlltl one side of the shank of the bolt, whereby said head will hang downwardly by gravity, and aid head has a'bevel 89 which is maintained in a position to strike the cam edge 87 of the plate 34: when the door is closed. The head R0 in hanging downwardly will keep the bevel S9 in proper position to strike the cam edge 87, and when bolt 36 drops into the tail 86 of the slot the head 80 will prevent the bolt- 36 from turning, whereby thenuts can be turned and tightened readily.

laving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A freight car door construction comprising a door frame having a sill, a door mounted for sliding movement, a rail strip secured to the sill and projecting under the lower edge of the door, said strip having a depending flange below the door, a strip to overlap the lower edge portion of the door and said flange, the last named strip engaging the outer face of the edge portion of the door throughout the width of said door, and .means for engaging the last named strip to clamp it against said flange in order to prevent leakage under the lower edge of the door.

2. A freight car door construction comrising a door frame havin a sill a door mounted for sliding movement, a rail strip secured to the sill and projecting under the lower edge of the door, said strip having a depending flange below the door, a strip to overlap the lower edge portion of the door and said flange, the last named strip engagring the outer face of the edge portion of the door throughout the width of said door, and means for engaging: the last named strip to clamp it against said flange in order to prevent leakage under the lower edge of the door, the last named strip having; its lower edgeportion bent inwardly and upwardly to form a hook to engage and move behind said flange for guiding the lower edge of the door along the rail strip.

3, A freight car door construction com.-

and hook prising a door frame, a door suspended for sliding movement, plates carried by one ver tical edge portion of the door and one side 111: her of the door frame to bear against one another when the door is closed, and latching means carried by and morable with one plate for latching and clamping the plates together, the other plate having means for receiving said latching means when the door is slid closed.

A. freight car door structure inelut iuq' a door frame, a door mounted for Filitllllfj, movement, plates carried by the door and frame to bear against one another when the door is closed, and latching andclampinff bolts movably carried by one plate, the other piate having slots for receiving s id bolts wl'ien the door is closed to latch the door and enable said plates to be ('lHh'lPQll together.

A l freight car door structure comprisa door frame, a door mounted for sliding); movement, plates carried by the door and frame to bear against one another, a latching and cla-n'iping' member carried by one plate, the other plate having a bayonet the other plate having a bayonet slot to receive the bolt when the door is closed, for latching the door and enabling said plates to be clamped together by tightening said bolt, the loweredge of the month of said bayonet slot being inclined to provide a cam for lifting said bolt when the door is closed, so that the bolt drops into the tail of said bayonet slot.

ing a door frame, a door mounted for sliding novement, plates carried by said door and frame to bear against one another when the door is closed, the door plate havin slot, a latching: and clamping bolt movable upwardly and downwardly in said slot and the frame plate having a bayonet slot t9 receive the bolt when the door is closed, for

a. A freight car door structure compris- 7 10 clamping the plates together When said meni- ,bers are tightened, and means for snnnl- Q,' Sd1d members to and from" to. neo 11 S15 nov 1 jlatehing positlon. 7 v

' "9. A freight 0&1"(iOOlStILICtUi'Q comprising movement, )httes carried by the frame and door to bear against one another "when i .the door is closed, a series of latching," and oiamp1ng' men1bers mounted for movement in'one piate, the other plate havingslots for receiving said 'niembors' when the door closed, and a bar engaging said members to r simultaneously moving them intoon'd out of latching position Within said slots ing a, door frame, a door mounted for sliding movement, plates carried by said frame .snd door to bear against one another when the bolts, and a bar having; slots receiving] a dooiizi' freme", a door mounted for slid the door is closed, one platehavingslots," latching and clamping bolts movable" 1 1: said oi. said bayonet slots to hitch the doorind permit said plates to b olamped together by said bolts for simultaneously.moving said bolts out of said-tails of the bayonetsiots to nnlatohing position-I V a 11. A freight car doorstrnotnre comprising a oor'wall having a door irsm e door suspended for siiding moveinent along seid Wall across said frame, 2L lower 'rsil stripsecured to said wall" and extending underthe door opening and below. said door, i 'st r 45 to be seoured'to the aforesaid strip to over: I

lap thelower edgeportion ofithedooi" and clamp it to the sill of said' franie, ,an t

block to be secnredon said rail stripho'v-ing 'a portion to fit between oneiower "corner of V sziid doori and said rail strip to prevent leak;

7 age under said corner of the door. 10. A ireight car door strnoture comprise In testimony whereof I'hereuntojsfiix liny H signature. V V 1- JOHN Myron (m me, 

